New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-07
HISTORY OF THE PURCHASED SYSTEM

IT Is As OLD As TEiLGRAPHY ITsELF-ITS FIERCE
FIGHTS WITH ITS PRESENT OWNER
The Baltimore and Ohio Telegraph system, which has
now passed the hands Of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company back really to the early days OF
the telegraph Itw the railroad between Baltimore
and Washington that Professor Morse first obtained the
right way attempt his experiments and over the
telegraph wires strung along the Baltimore ana ONO
Railroad that the historic message, What hath God
wrought" was transmitted on May n, lsii The father
OF the present Minister to France at that time resi
dent of the railroad company To him Mr. Morse applied
for right of way after Congress had granted MIN pantry
sum for the conduct o, his experiments. Mt McLane
deemed the Old visionary and referred hlmto John
II b. Latrobe then and counsel 10 the corporation
Mr. Morse went Mr. Latobes house and their CONVEX
sa,iou lasted until the early dawn. resulted in the
conversion OF counsel and Dy his influence President
McLane and his directors were persuaded to gave
the inventor the facilities lie wanted Here is the Ieso-
luton that the board of directors passed IN l3i3:
Res,ired, That president be authorized to afford
Mr. Morse such facilities as may be requisite 10
give his invention proper trial upon the Washington
road provided. his opinion. and ia that OF tho ens-
neer il be done without injury TO the road and
without embarrassment TO the operations OF the COM
pany and provided Mr. Morse Will concede to the COM
pany the use OF the telegraph upon the road without ex
pense aud eserviDs the right OF disseminating the use
H. upon experiment it should prove any nJu-
rious"
The contract for building the telegraph line under
ground taken by Ezra Cornell but II was after
ward decided that it would be practicable to bnlldit
overhead The line, after its successful complexion was
extended the Baltimore and OHIO Railroad toward
Uarpers Ferry and later on. about lsj6'jo, TO Wheel
ing, Grafton AMI Petersburg These lines were DmIt
at the cost OF the railroad, but under contract with
the Western Telegraph Company which operated them
1871 In that year the contract expired by nlta
tion the charter Western Company expiring The
lines seized by the railroad company and operated
us an Independent telegraph system At this time tho
mileage OF the telegraph lines amounted to from 1000
10 q, 900 miles OF wire.
ALWAYS AN OPPONENT OF WESTERN UNION.
TheB fillmore and Ohio telegraph was the ally OF a.
the principal opposition mpanes started 10 contest
with the Western Union Telegraph Company the
supremacy in this business IL proved to be an
important weapon in the hands OF John W. Garrett In
furthorng his schemes OF railroad ACKNOWLEDGMENT The
system WAS worked in harmony with The Atlantic and
Pacific until Mr.. Could and his associates were bougat
up by the Union II was allied to the American
Telegraph Company in the later war and after the
consolidation seven years ago. which made Western
Union Gould instead OF Vanderbilt concern, 1t was
operated Independently But all tho while tho system
was gradually extended so that by 1854 1t embraced
$4,000 miles in all
1t was In that year that the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road cement began tho development OF active
opposition Western Union. This was part Of the Car
ret scheme that looked to permanent operation OF us
own express ard palace car departments ana contem
Mated bringing its Independent line or railroad INTO new
York CITY The CARROTS took some OF the best men
whom the Western Union employed ID. II. Bates. who
had been close and active lieutenant OF Mr. Gould and
General Thomas Eckert in the American Union night,
WAS chosen to manage tho system and extend IT, lie
called 10 his support John f. Zuebn and other bright
and strong officers OF the Western Union sta and active
hostiitics were begun. Money spent lavish!y by
the Baltimore and Ohio people, with the re-
suit of quadrupling their telegraph miieas
within three years ana reaching oue-ah OF the CONNER
cia population OF the country. The extensions weier
made In the teeth OF bitter opposition from Tue western
Union that went to the len 9Th OF cutting down the poles
and asaultiug the employ OF the vigorous rival suits
almost innunerale were begun 10 block the OF tue
1OO-which got into the courts that company out
The victor. But meantime tolls lowered and TIE
nuhlc received the benefit OF rates which spoiled tho
the aggressive company ana deprived Western
tinion siOckholde' for a year OF their dividends.
'Tha nr,seut Baltimore and ONO Telegraph Company
was Incorporated 1sS2 By us IasI report IL show ed
tat IL possessed 919 miles OF wire and 1858 mile. of
,o.s las Offices numbered 1900, but to-day II probably
has nearly 1000 offices opeDsd us employees huisber
ahout 600 About One-tLird OF the wire mileage OPP
Grated by the telegraph company Is leased on long me
fo, the raj road company; the rest Is absolutely owned
AR Rates Is still president W. iJdms Is treasurer ana
" Duryee secretary The territory reached by the nos
ex Its mileage double that reached by any OF her OF
the competitors Western Union and the war OF rates
has been greater than any ever waged before us OK
isfence IL Is within the easy memory OF nerchan.s
IN recall the time when the telegraph rate 10 SaH
San Francisco 81 for ton words III came dowh w
degrees TO 81 So then TO S. then TO $Z 90 ri o. anu
3 new 81. The rate to 81 Louis has Dsen reouosa !"